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LEAD.
443
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the
metal, whilst not adopting precautionary measures ; but the poisonous
qualities thereof have been unwittingly produced, says Professor
Pepper (vide his Play-Book of Metals, 1877), in the
cases of those unfortunate persons who have swallowed wine sweetened
with poisonous " Sugar of Lead " (formerly much used by wine-merchants
for preserving wines from acidity); or again by children who have
partaken of " lollypops " coloured with Red Lead; or eaten " Bath buns"
rendered still more injurious by "King's Yellow" (arsenical orpiment),
mistaken for Chrome Yellow (Chromate of Lead), as making the confection
pleasing to the eye.
Metallic
Lead has a bluish-white colour; and when recently cut, or scraped, owns
a brilliant lustre, which, hxwever, fades rapidly. The well-known soft
malleability of Lead enables it to be applied in sheets for serving to
cover houses. An interesting proceeding for showing this softness of
Lead is to be effected by placing a common sealing-wax impression
between two pieces of soft sheet Lead, on an anvil, and striking them
suddenly with a tolerably heavy hammer, when a correct impression of
the seal is obtained on the face of the Lead, whilst other sealing-wax
impressions may be taken therefrom. It is said that this was the mode
employed by inquisitive Post Office authorities in olden times when
they wanted to learn the contents of a letter without betraying
themselves by a broken seal.
Lead
is used not only to cover the houses which shelter the living, but it
has also been employed from time long past in the construction of the
box, or coffin, made to contain the dead. Formerly no person could be
buried in a vault under a church except in a
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